Wichita eagle., 1887-04-10
ENGLISH AS SHE Is SUNG.
WHY so MANY AMERICAN SINGERS
FAIL TO PRONOUNCE DISTINCTLY.

Singers who Look Well and Act We'll
but Whose Words Arc Unintelligible
Difficulties of the English Language
Singing for Health.
The singers looked well and acted well
but not a word that they uttered was in
teuigible
The programme was printed in English
and the composers had spoken English il
their day, but to the unadvised listener tht
medium through which the 'artists'' were
striving to interpret the composers
thoughts might have been cuneiform
"tea box" Or that Of the society woman'f
afternoon reception.
Why Is it that so large proportion OF
American singers fail to pronounce their
| words distinctly?
Let the professor" answer: "Because
they study singing in Italian. Hundreds of
people in England and America, who are
studying by what are known as the Italian,
| French and German methods, expect to
make their living by singing in English
81 refer to the want of definite and sufii-
| cient study OF the vowel forms and conson-
antal sounds of the English language, ~
adds the professor as he entwines his
sinewy legs about each other; ''to articula-
ton, pronunciation, etc. Every singer
should study the Italian language in song,
but he should first master his mother
| tongue. The English language in song is
becoming more popular every day, and
when mastered is as easy and beautiful as
any other
why is the English language more diff
| cult Of mastery in singingF'
''The English language is more difficult
to master than the italian, fer the reason
that the natural or physical formation Of
the Italian language constantly aids and
forms the singing voice. The constant
study of Italian viii not make easy the
correct use of the English, but makes it
more dicfllult, as it has q tendency to
broaden all vocal formation, and thus rem
ders the correct formation Of the close Eng
hsh sounds physically impossible to those
who Go not understand them, which is the
case with all who study Italian only.
"The abnormal condition in which the
adult voice is usually found is due to mis-
use or abuse, to power misapp!ied. a right
system then, must be a corrective study.
When you see singer get red in the face
and the veins in his neck seem ready to
burst, you can rest assured that it is the re-
suit Of power misapplied- All that work
should bs borne by tho muscles Of his
body. If it were the custom to sing with
out words we might have many beautiful
singers"
THE PERCENTAGE OF SUCCESS.
"What is the percentage of success
among Americans who study vocal music?''
at is q sid fact that q large majority Of
those who study vocal music, aided by mu-
sical sense, ambition, application, and even
stern necessity, are total or comparative
failures. This is true not only of those who
study in America, but of those who study
In foreign countries The truth is, there
are but few who know or understand the
human voice. AS rule the voices of little
children are right, or in natural condi-
ton, while the voices Of unframed adults
are wrong, or in an unnatural condition.
1t is a great mistake TO suppose that right
voice culture is an artificial process, in the
sense of which the word artificial is gen.
orally accepted. No doubt much of that
which is called voice culture is, for 1t results
In affectation and mannerisms A right
system of voice training simply restores the
voice to its first or normal condition by
all defects.''
81 should imagine that the human voice |
was not easy to train@'
1.-THE human voice is the most difficult Of |
all instruments to understand, hence it is |
the most difficult to correctly play upon. |
There is another great reason which ac-
counts for the fact that while there ore
many good pianists there are so few good |
singers. Most parents, in the study of the |
pianoforte, recognize the Importance Of
having their children commence at an early |
age in order to acquire that flexible action
necessary for the complete mastery of the
keyboard Years are thus spent in the
study of the pianoforte. On the other
hand, for some unaccountable reason, the
dea prevails with the majority of people
hat q year or two is sufficient to make
singers, and that, too, after they have
grown Up and gone ell astray, so far as tho
use Of the voice is concerned. The
way TO become great singers is to begin by
raining the child voice. The child voice
3 nearer right; it is more flexible, moro
pliab!e, moro musical"
DIFFICULTIES TO BE OVERCOME.
"What are the chief difficulties you meet
With in training the voice to sing English"
Tho greatest difficulties to be overcome
n the English singing voice are tho con-
onants, They should never be sustained
,r prolonged in song, as is often heard, but
,hould always be spoken with n quick,
lexible movement of the articulat:ng or
,ans, and without interfering with the
7owel form or the sound of the word. a
,opsonaptal sound is the result of an inter
-uption of the air current, and & sudden ex-
nlosion whereby a raise is produced is called
! consonantal sound"
Mime. Clara BrcnkcrhoT says: The vi
,rations aroused By the singing voice pass
through the entire form of the singer, COM
nunicating TO the floor where one stands, as
IN electcric current seeks the ground. /
This is an undeniahle fact, for I have sung
several times for deaf Inutcs who were
standing. They expressed their pleasure
1t hearing me sing. When we questioned
.hem TO explain we found tha: they had
,eceived the vibrations through the soles
II their feet from the vibrations conveyed |
,y me TO the Aoor while singing, also stand
ng, teStifyin. to the fact that it is the
whole vibrating body which is tine singing
not the throat alone. The hu-
nsn tissue has subtle force, and is es Vi
orant as a drum head"
"Do people ever study u.uSo for the pur-
,ose OF strengthening the lungs by the in
,reased exercise,'
"Oh, yes; physicians are recommending |
'uch practice every day. A great many
people study for weak lungs aad weak
.hroats The proper system Of breathing is
70 simple and PROGRESSES In such easy stages
hat it develops the lungs to their full capac-
ty without the least strain, and always with
!, beneficial r,,,,,lt p-New York Herald